myees



(Model.) 5 sheetsesheet, 1

F. MYERS.,

l NAILING MACHINE. No. 26??,2 4.v Patented Nov. 7, 1882.

NA PETERS. Pmwmlwgmpher, wawinmon. Dit;

(Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheen 2.

, F. MYERS.

y NAILING MACHINE. N0. 267 244. 'Patented'Nom '7, 1882.

(Model.) 5 sheets-sheet a. F. MYERS.

- NAILING ,MAGHINL No. 267,244.. Patented Nov. 7, 1882.

N, PETERS. Phowmhogmplmr, wanhngtun, D. C.

(Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. MYERS.

NAILING MAGHINB.

120.2621244. Patented Nov. 7, 1882.

N. PETERS PhawLimognpmr. wammglm D.C.

(Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

F. MYERS.

NAILING. MACHINE.

No. 267,244. r v Patented Nov. 7, 1882. i

N. PETERS Fhnxo'mhugmphen wamingtor. D. C

' v NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MYERS, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NAlLlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,244, dated November7, 1882,

Application tiled May 27, 1881. (Model.) Patented in England September1, 1880, No. 3,555; in France March 1, 1881, No. 141,455; in BelgiumMarch 22, 1881, No. 54,181; in Germany March 25), 1881, No. 17,665; inAustria June 4, 1881, and in Spain August 12,

1F81, no. ein.

To all whdm t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK MYERS, of New York city, New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Failing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Myinvention consists essentially of the coinbination, with reciprocatingnail-drivers and stationary nail-boxes, of a back plate on which thework -holding table is mounted, that is caused to rise and firmly pressand hold the work against the nail-boxes While the drivers perform thework, and mechanism, substantially as hereinafterdescribed,foroperatingthe nail-drivers, back plate, and table.

It also consists of the table fixed upon said back plate by a cushionwhich resists the action of the nail-drivers, but varies to accommodateunequal thicknesses of the box material, so as to prevent crushing thesame and damage to the machine.

It also consists of a stop device at the top of the back plate toprevent the side boards of the boxes from being shoved in too far overthe end boards and the top of said back plate when the table is loweredfor the application of the work; and it also consists of certain detailshereinafter described.

AFigure l is a front elevation of my improved machine, partly insection, and with a nailfeeder attached. Fig.. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same without the nail-feeder, and showing a bracket for supportingthe bar, on which the nail-boxes are iixed, broken off. Fig. 3 is anelevation of the reverse with some of the parts detached. Fig. 4 is aside view of a portion of the machine with the nail -feeder attached.Fig. 5is a top view of a portion of the machine as represented in Fig.l. Fig. isa detail of the clutch for starting and stopping the Inachine.Fig. 6 is a top View of a portion of the nail-feeder. Fig. 7 is avertical transverse section ofthe nail-box, nail-tube, and nail-driver.Fig. 8 is a side viewof guard-fingers to prevent the side boards frombeing inserted under the nail-boxes too far, said ngers being here showndetached from the machine. They are also shown in Fig. 1. Fig.9 isa sideview of the back plate, the aforesaid lingers, and

" supporting-arm therefor. Fig. 10 is a side view of a brake tocontrolthe descent of the naildrivers. 1t is also shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 11 is aplan View of the frame of a made-up77 box end. Fig. 12 is a plan view ofthe boX end complete, of which said frame, Fig. 11, forms a part. Fig.13 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 14 is a front view of a portion ofthe machine, showing the attachments for supporting the end pieces ofthe framves of made-up box ends. Fig. 15 isa side View of the same. Fig.16 is a vertical middle section of the same with a made-up box-end pieceon the bar and a boxside piece on the end piece ready for nailing. Fig.17 is aplan of the table with a removable `slide for allowing nails toescape when not driven into `the boxes, and for clinching the nails whenmaking the box-end frames of Fig. l1. Fig. 18 is a side view of thetable with the slides removed. Figs. 19 and 20 are side elevations.Fig.21 is a front elevation; Figs. 22 and 25'; top views, and Fig. 24, adetail of the back plate, with attachments differing from those of Figs.and 9, and which I prefer to use to prevent the side boards of the boxesfrom being shoved in too far under the nailboxes and over the top of theback plate when the latter is lowered. Fig. 25 is a detail of thetable-adjusting device.

In the drawings Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A represents the side frames ofthe machine, held together by the rods c b c. The driving-shaft B issupported in bearings d e on said frames,

and carries the driving-pulley G, to which Inotion is imparted by a beltfrom a countershaft, and on which is a pinion, D, which works in thespur-wheel E on the end of the main shaft F, supported in bearingsfg onthe top of the side frames. The spur-wheel E is loose on the main shaft,and has studs t' projecting inward,- ly from its hub to engage with agib, It, sliding in a groove, l, in the main shaft, and secured inposition by a hub, G, firmly fixed on the shaft, and also having agroove corresponding with said groove l in the shaft. The gib is forcedbetween the studs i on the hub of the spur-wheel by a spring, m, in asocket, o, in the hub G, and bearing against the projection n on thegib. The gib is disengaged from the studs t' by the beveled end p of thelever 1l bein g forced by the weight I between the prol grooved guides23, working on the edges of the jection g' on the end of the gib and thehub G. As the main shaft revolves the beveled end of the lever wedgesthe gib back and disengages it from the stud i, and thereby stops themotion ot' the main shaft. 'By raising the beveled end of the lever frombetween the projec` tion on the end of the gib and the hub-that is,disengaging the clutch-the gib is again forced between the studs t' onthe hub ot' the spur-wheel by the spring m, and motion is againcommunicated to the main shaft. object of the clutch is to enable themachine to be stopped readily after each operation while the operatorremoves the nailed box and applies another; and in order that themachine shall positively stop at the right time and in the rightposition the gib 7c and the beveled lever are so arranged that thelatter stops the driving-shaft by wedging between head g and collar G,and the said lever and gib are also so arranged with relation to thenail-driver and work-table connecting and operating devices that thenail-drivers are stopped in the highest position and the work-table inthe-lowest. (See Fig. 1 The beveled end of the lever is raised by atreadle consisting of a rod, r, extending from the arm S of the saidlever to the foot-rod t, bent, as shown, to pass around the frame andform a foot-piece, u, and held by set-screws o and w to projecting armsof the rod k', having bearings inthe foot ot' the side frames.foot-piece u the rod r, and consequently7 the arm S ofthe lever, isdrawn down, and the beveled end of the lever is disengaged from the gib7c, when by the force of the spring fm the gib is again engaged with therstd ds t', and when the foot is removed from the foot-piece the forceof the spring q, attached to the side of the frame and to thefoot-piece, assists the weight I to raise the foot-piece to its firstposition, and to engage the beveled end of the lever with the gib.

The cams L on the main shaft turn against rollers 3, running free in theends 'of the levers M, which levers have for their fulcrums studs 4,projecting from brackets ofthe sideframes,A. Between the rollers 3 andthe studs 4 the rods 5 are pivoted to said levers at 6, which rods areconnected at their lower ends to studs 7 in the bottom ofthe back plate,N,'for operating it, said plate being for supporting and operating thework-holding table O; and for gaging the work under the nail-drivers tocenter the nails in the box-end pieces it slides in grooves 8 9 10 l1 inblocks 13, 14, 15, and 16, bolted to the side frames. These blocks inwhich the back plate slides are provided with slotted holes for thefastening-bolts 10, Fig. 2, by which it may be shifted forward andbackward under the nail drivers, according to the thickness ofthe endboards, 1a, to be nailed.

The table C), which is for holding the box to be nailed and pressing itup and confining it against the nail-boxes, is supported 011 the backplate, N, by an adjusting-screw, P, and by They By pressing the footupon theback plate, to permit the table to slide on the back plate foradjustment to diiferent sizes of boxes, and when yielding to thepressure of' clamping the boxes to be nailed under the nailboxes, forwhich it is cushioned on the top of the adj Listing-screw by a rubber orother spring, 22, between washers 20 and 21, so that boxes varying alittle in the thickness of the sides being nailed on the ends will beclamped alike, whereas if the table were unyielding the boxes with thicksides would be crushed 'or those with thin sides would notbe firmlysecured. rlhe back plate and table are raised simultaneously with or alittle in advance ofthe descent of the nail-drivers to press the work tobe nailed tirmly against the nail-boxes W' and hold it firmly whilebeing nailed, and lowered when the nail-drivers ascend to permit theparts of the boxes-as end pieces, 1e, and side pieces, 1"-to be easilyadmitted and removed from the machine; and the table is shifted by theadjusting screw to allow for different lengths of parts of boxes-forexample, less space, equal to the thickness of a side piece, 1b, isrequired in nailing on the first side than in nailing on the secondside.

For operating the nail-drivers two eccentrics, Q, are keyed on the mainshaft, and the straps 26, which are bolted around them at 28 and 29,Figs.2 and 5, are connected by screws and jamnuts 3() and 31, Fig. 1, torods 33 and 34, that are connected by stud-pins 35 and 36 to thecross-head S', having grooves 37 and 3S, and sliding on rails 39 and 40,bolted to the' side frames, A. On the under side of the crosshead is adownward-projecting strip, 41, to which is .bolted a somewhat widerbar', 42, both constituting an inverted-T bar to form the ledges 43 and44 for the support of the plungers or nail-drivers 6', which have headsy, with T- shaped notches 0r grooves in the top, adapted to slide on theledges and support the plungers on said bar, whereon they areadjustable, and have set-screws X to secure them.

The nail-boxes W' are supported on the bar V, that is supported in thebrackets 47 and 43 ofthe side frames, and fastened by set-screws 49 and50. The nail-boxes are made in two parts, Q', (see Fig. 7,) and heldtogether by screws 3',each part having acurved groove, 4', dared at itsouter end, together forming a round channel to receive the nails, and ineach part there is also a straight groove, 5', together forming achannel to receive the plungers or nail-drivers 6'. These two channelsunite and form one channel, 7', to conduct the nails to thehardened-steel guides 8', which are shaped on their inner ends to formcup-like receptacles for the ends of the nails. These nail-guides arefitted in grooves a' in the two parts of the nail-box, and are kept inposition by springs b' b', screwed on the front and back ofthe nailbox.The guides have stop-pins or studs 82, which by contact with the sidesof the box prevent the inner ends from meeting either side of thechannel 7', as they would be liable IOO IIO

to do on account of one springl having more h8 under them, and restingin sockets i in the power than the other. The nail-boxes are applied tothe bar V by passing it through an oblong slot, c', in them, and theyare fastened in any desired position by set-screws d', so that they canbe adjusted for driving nails at any desired distance apart. Thenail-drivers, which should be made of steel rods, should always beentered within channels 5', and not be permitted to rise out of them,their function being to guide the drivers onto the nails below, thenails being dropped in belo-w them through the curved channel 4, towhich they are conducted by feeding-tubes e', having a funnel-mouth,f,into which they may be supplied either by hand or by afeeder; but Ireserve these improvements in nail-boxes for a separate application fora patent thereon.

In order to allow the hand-wheel a7 to shift along the screw, to allowthe latter to shift more than the back plate will allow the wheel toshift, and to provide a contrivance allowing it to be shifted readily,said wheel is fitted on the screw with threads corresponding with thethreads of the screw, and lugs 0V to hold the gib in place in a slot,e7, in the hub of the handwheel. (See Fig. 25.) The gib is put in placewhen the hand-wheel is off the screw, and with the hand-wheel is screwedonto the screw. The wheel is set at any point onthe screw for turning itby the gib and a set-screw, g7, and it is shifted up or down thereon byloosening the set-screw and screwing the hand-wheel up or down on thescrew, thus allowing the raising and lowering of the table in a widerrange than the hand-wheel has room for, to suit small or large work,asin nailing together thin end pieces, small boxes, or large boxes.

The stop device at the top of the back plate, to prevent the sideboards, 1b, of the boxes from being shoved in too l'ar on the endboards, 1, and over the top of the back plate when the table is lowered,and thereby being crushed under the nail-boxes when the table rises, mayconsist of the fingers z, supported on rod 53, carried in arms 5l and52, projecting from the back plate, the front ends of the fingersresting on the top of the back plate between the nail-boxes, and risingand falling with it, as represented in detail in Figs. 8 and 9, Vand inapplication to the machine in Fig. 1. I prefer, however', to employ forthis purpose the arrangement shown in detail in Figs. 19, 20, 21, 22,23, and 24, and in lapplication to the machine in Fig. 2, which saidarrangement consists of brackets A8, projecting backward from the backplate and supporting a shaft, a8, which supports rods m-B, that areconnected by set-screws d8 to sleeves e, and support a plate or plates,B8, to which the sleeves are firmly fixed. The rods m8 are adjustable onthe shaft a8 by set-screws or otherwise. The back plate has in this casean oi'setbackward at f8, in which the plate or plates B8 are 1ocated,said plates having a top iiange or lugs,

v g8, overhanging the top of the oifset part of the back plate for theapplication of springs top of the back plate to keep them always pressedup against the bottoms of the nailboxes, and thus prevent the boardsfrom being passed in too far. By preference only one plate Ba will beused, said plate extending along all the nail-boxes; but it may be madein two or more sections, if desired. To adjust this back plate, B8, forend boards of different thicknesses it is shifted forward or backward onthe rods m8 by the sockets e and set-screws d8. These sockets e8 rest innotches kf in the top of back plate, N. As the springs h8 will press theplate B8 up against the nail-boxes, so as to interfere with shit'tin gsaid boxes readily along the bar V, (which is frequently required toadjust them for boxes of different sizes to be nailed.) it will beprovided with a slotted arm, q?, clamp-screw rg, and clamp-bar S8, thelatter being attached to arms A8, and the screw being screwed into itthrough the slotted arm q, so that the nail-boxes may at any time bereadily freed from the pressure of said springs byturning theclamp-screw, which will hold plate B8 free from the nail-boxes untilthey are adjusted, when said plate may again be allowed to press againstthem by turning the screw back.

The screws p8 in the back plate are for use boards for rightly receivingthe nails. Then these devices are used the back plate itself will not beshifted by its guide-blocks 13, 14, 15, and 16, except when end boardsof greater than usual differences in thickness are used.

To prevent the too sudden downward movement of the heavy cross-head sand eccentricrods by which the nail-drivers are operated, a brake-arm,54, Figs. 5 and l0, is placed on the main shaft F to opera-te againstawood block, 55, attached to an adjustable spring, 56, bolted to therigid arm 57, supported on tie-rod c, connecting the side frames. Thespring is adjustable by the screw 5S to regulate the action ofthe brake.When the eccentrics are passing their upper centers, as the main shaftrevolves, the brake commences to act, and prevents a sudden downwardmovement of the cross-head and consequent jarring of the machine in casethe journal-boxes of the niachine become loose. A counterbalance-weightmounted on the shaft by an arm suitably located may be used instead ofthe brake.

To nail up boxes the operator places an end piece, l, of a box uprightagainst the back plate under the nail-drivers and nail-boxes,and placesone end of a side piece, 1b, on the upper edge of the end piece andagainst stop z or B8. He then presses his foot on and instantly removesit from the foot-piece n of the treadle, which draws down the rearend,S, of lever H, and raises the front beveled end from between the hub'G and the lug g of the gib k. The gib is then instantly forced by thespring m to engage with the studs i on the hub of the spur-wheel, whichcauses motion to be coinmunicated to the main shaft and eccentrics,

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and consequently to thecross-head and the In nailing boxes with solid'ends the bar is nail-drivers. It also causes the back plate and table torise by cams L, levers M, and rods 5 to press the parts ofthe box to benailed up against the nail-boxes and hold them securely while beingnailed,thismovementtakingplace slightly in advance of the descentofthenail-drivers. The nails, having been previously supplied to thefunnelsf by hand orotherwise, rest on their points in the cup-likereceptacles in the nailguides, so that by the descent of the driversthey are forced through the side board, Il), into the end board, l,nailing them together. When motion is communicated to the main shaft asabove described, and the pressure instantly removed from thefoot-treadle, it makes one revolution, when the spring q raises thetreadle, and consequently, by the rod r, raises the rear end, S, of thelever H, and forces the beveled end p of the lever between theprojection g on the gib and the hub Gr, and thereby, as the shaft andgib revolve, disengages the gib from the studs-on the hub of thespur-wheel, stops the main shaft, allowing it to remain motionless. Thenthe nail-drivers are up and the table down, ready for adjusting theparts of the box for the next operation, which consists of nailing theother end of the side board, ll, to another end board, l, If the otherside board is then to be nailed on, the operator will lower the table 0by the adjusting-screw the thickness ofope side board; but practicallyanother machine will he used for that part of the work to avoid shiftingthe table for each box; or a number ofthe iirst sides and ends will benailed together first and set aside to be afterward hnished together,after the table has been shifted.

Boxes are frequently put together with what are called made-up 7 ends,to make them strong. To do this narrow strips of board are used, beingnailed together, making a frame of four pieces, Fig. ll. `Then thinboards are nailed in this frame to lill up the space, altogether formingthe end for a box, Fig. l2. Now, in nail-ing the sides to these endswith the machines the pressure of the nail-drivers is so great that itcrushes the frame orv end pieces. To obviate this difficulty I make anattachment consisting of two standards, A",

Figs. 14 and l5, bolted fast to the table O,

out far enough at the ends of the table to clear the back plate and itsguides, which standards have a long slot, a2, wherein rests a bar, B2,of

iron, supported by a screw, c2, so that the bar can be raised orloweredfor boxes of different sizes.

Instead of resting the end of the box on the table, as in the case ofsolid ends, one of the projecting pieces of the frameis rested on thebar, so that the bar prevents the blow from crushing the end, and ifthere is any variation in the sizes of the ends the table, bar, and allyield by the cushion the same as it'the end were placed directly on theend of the table.

The bar has a small notch, b2, to receive the end of the adjListing-screw c2, so that the bar cannot work out of the slot when inuse.

sary to force the nails out of nail-boxes without nailing, in which casethey will be wasted, if the table is solid, by bending and crushingagainst it, unless the operator lowers the table, which will cause toomuch loss of time. A portion of the table is therefore cut away, Figs.17 and 18, forming a dovetail slot, g3, in which are fitted plates h3,that can be drawn back from each side, leaving an opening, so that thenails can drop through. The drawings show the slide in two pieces; butit may be made in one.

In Figs. l and 4t I have represented a nailfeeder for supplying thenails to the feedingtubes, consisting of a receptacle, a4, supported onan arm, t4, on the frame of the machine, a carrier, b4 c4, workingondrums g4 on shaft h4, supported by h4, bolted to the top of thenailing-machine, and a vibrating incline, d4 c4, for conducting thenails onto the slotted platej,

from which they may he transferred to said y tubes by iingers i* orother approved means, and also a chute, g4, to transfer any nails thatmay fail of entering the slotted plate f4, and conducting them back intothe receptacle; but I do not contine myself to this particulararrangement of feeding apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters'Patent, 1s

1. The combination, in a nailing-machine, of reciprocating nailfdrivers,stationary nailboxes, a reciprocating back plate, and a workholdingtable located on said back plate, and being cushioned thereon by aspring or yielding support that presses the work against the nail-boxeswhile the nails are driven, substantiall y as described.

2.v The com bination,in abox-nailing machine and with stationarynail-boxes therein, ot' the driving-shaft F, having clutch and stopmechanism, substantially as described, the naildriver cross-head and itseccentrics and connecting-rods, the reciprocating back plate andvwork-holding table located thereon, connecting-rods 5, camlevers M, andcams L, substantially as described. l

3. The combination, in a nailing-machine, of a reciprocating backplate,a work-holding table located on said back plate, stationarynailboxes, anda back stop, substantially as herein shown and described,on said back plate to gage the work to the nail-drivers, as described.

4. The combination, in a nailing-machine, of stationary nailboxes, areciprocating back plate and work-holding table, and a back stop to gagethe work to the nail-drivers, that is mounted on the reciprocating backplate and continuously pressed against the nail-boxes, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination, iu a nailing-machine, of

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stationary nail-boxes, a reciprocating back plate, a back stop mountedon said reciprocating back plate to gage the Work to the naildrivers,springs on said back plate to press said stop against the nail-boxes,and a clampscrew to retract the springs and suspend such pressure whenrequired, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a nailing-machine, with the reciprocating backplate and the workholding table, of a support for frame-pieces ofmade-up box ends, consisting of brackets A, removable bar B2, andadjusting-screws C2, substantially as described.

7. The combination,.in a nailing-machine, of reciprocating nail-drivers,a reciprocating back plate, and a work-holdin g table located on saidback plate, and having a removable bar to open said table for the escapeof the nails, as described.

8. The combination, in a nailing-machine, ofstationary nailboxes,reciprocating back plate,

a ,Work-holding table located and arranged adjustabl y on saidbackplate, a screw and handwheel for adjusting said table, and a cushion 259. Thecombnaton,ina11ailing-maclline,of 3o a reciprocating back plate, awork-holding table located on said back plate, a screw for ad justingsaid table, and a hand-wheel Jfor operating said screw, arranged with ascrewthreaded gib and set-screw for being adjustable on the screw,substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK MYERS.

Witnessesr JOHN DEAN, G. W. WEsTLEY, Both of 17 Gracechurch Street,London.

